Manchester Theatre News & Reviews
REVIEW - Elf The Musical is the perfect Sparklejollytwinklejingley gift to kick off the festive season!
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On Wednesday, we were invited to the Palace Theatre, Manchester to see Elf The Musical. Read what our reviewer Karen Ryder had to say about this festive delight of a production...
“It’s Santa! I know him!”
How can you not think of that line when you think of Elf? And ok, I may not personally be on first name terms with the jolly one who dominates December, but Elf The Musical will bring out the very best parts of your inner child and make you want to believe in Christmas magic all over again. And after a personal few months of hard-hitting reality, this stunningly heartwarming family musical was everything I needed and more to make my spirits soar. Elf ignites that enigmatic sigh of utter contentment and happiness, the one I’m sure we all wish could be bottled and opened at will. Having seen Elf The Musical on stage twice before, I am a seasoned fan of its brilliant and uplifting nature, and had absolutely no doubt that this production would live up to my previous experiences and expectations. There is no other way to do Elf than with sheer abandonment of our heavy, shackled adult cloaks, leaving us fresh and unfiltered to embrace the pure joy and magic of Christmas. No place for grinches here!
Elf follows the tale of Buddy, an enthusiastic and pure hearted young boy who grows up in the North Pole with Santa and his Elves. So what else is Buddy to do but assume he is also an Elf right? But as the other Elves reach their height potential, and Buddy keeps on growing, the truth about Buddy’s past can no longer remain unspoken. As Buddy discovers he has a father with his own family living in New York, he makes the trip to what he believes will be a straight forward family reunion and a happy ever after. But Buddy has zero experience of the real world, and lives in a pure, naive bubble of Christmas peace and goodwill to all. Not exactly what New York is known for. Match that with a Father who is a work-a-holic and on the naughty list to boot, and a step brother who doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy finds himself lost, alone, and desperately confused. Still, he never gives up, and Buddy’s unwavering and blind belief in the best of humanity sees him saving his Fathers career, falling in love, gaining a family, and uniting New York in the name of all things Christmas. Filled with hope, heart, joy, and nostalgia, Elf The Musical speaks to everyone and reminds us that the simplest things in life can be the most uplifting.
I’m inclined to not even try comparing this stage version to the 2003 film starring Will Ferrell as each pay homage to their own genre perfectly and so it is just a matter of taste. For me, Elf The Musical on stage wins my heart the most, for it reaches out and connects us all together right there and then, in every joyous, remarkable moment created on stage. I felt utterly wrapped up in a huge Christmas shaped hug from the moment I stepped into the theatre, and this is played out with a magical, glittering set, taking us from the delightful North Pole, to Christmas in New York in mere moments. Both are the epitome of a picture perfect Christmas, and with giant candy canes (sometimes even inflatable ones), tinsel, snowball fights, and digital scenery that includes dancing elves and gingerbread men, you are never short of a festive feast for the eyes. Throw in some impressive roller skating tricks and aerial work, and you can’t help but be dazzled.
The costumes sparkle and shimmer and are the epitome of winter and Christmas. Buddy’s costume is exactly as you would expect it to be, and then some! A lush green, fur lined shimmering velvet tunic with the perfect stripy tights and perfectly matching Elf hat make Buddy stand out amongst the New Yorkers, yet somehow seem exactly the right attire at the same time. With a playful mix of New York business suits, Christmas jumpers, many many Santa’s, and those additional Christmas accessories, you might just start rethinking your winter wardrobe and ‘Elfing’ it all up a bit. I kid you not, there is even a sparkly tomato and asparagus!
We can’t have a musical without talking about the music, and the songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin instinctively ignite a rich warm glow in your heart and an intangible excitement in your whole being. Simply put, they are the epitome of Christmas! From the opening number ‘Christmastown’ which Fa la la’s and plinky plonks its scene setting nature into our festive thoughts, to the spectacular show stopping ‘Sparklejollytwinklejingley’. These are wonderfully balanced with the wistful and emotive ‘World’s Greatest Dad,’ ‘I’ll Believe In You’, and ‘Never Fall In Love (with an Elf)’. And I warn you now, you will most likely leave with an ear worm in the form of ‘A Christmas Song,’ which is actually a wonderful take away and sums Elf up perfectly.
Buddy is delightfully brought to life by Jordan Conway who does an outstanding job of bringing the youthful, naïve, wide eyed innocent to life without creeping towards the cringe factor that can often happen with adults playing younger roles. It is actually a clever performance, with a comedy range that works for all ages. And when the bouncing energy drops, we are left instead with a raw vulnerability that wraps its little finger round your heart. Then, quicker than you can say ‘Santa’, Conway’s energy and enthusiasm drive us into the next moment and his playfulness will have you in hysterics once again.
Walter, expertly performed by Barry Bloxham, brings us a vital dose of realism with his too busy, stressed out, aggravated pressure. This contrasts fantastically to the boundless Buddy, and with both starting at such polar ends of the emotive spectrum, we are able to watch as they slowly work their way towards each other in the middle. It subtly speaks volumes as to how human relationships can and should work. Again, Bloxham plays Walter without relying on a cartoon or one dimensional architype of his anger, making him believably well rounded, and even offering the ability to empathise with him too. Thanks to excellent direction by (also by Jordan Conway and his own dad Jon Conway), these characters are allowed to breathe and represent real elements of our messy, intertwined lives with each other and ourselves, without ever being too serious. This developed relationship between Buddy and Walter truly gives the show an emotional and relatable core. Kelly Banlaki is delightfully geeky as Jovie, and I loved it. In previous performances I have seen, Jovie has been more a stand offish loner than geeky, and it was wonderful to see such a fresh take on the character. Emily and Michael Hobbs (Charlotte Dalton & Indy) created such a lovely partnership on stage and completed the Hobbs dynamic perfectly.
This was a slightly different take on previous versions I have seen of Elf The Musical, and involved the audience a lot more, encouraging pantomime scenarios such as “he’s behind you” and having certain actions to carry out when a particular character enters the stage. As mentioned, there is also circus style pieces in this production, such as aerial work with hoops, silks, and straps, and roller-skating tricks. On occasion it left me a little confused as to the significance of them, or where I was supposed to be diverting my attention, as these tricks would run parallel with large song and dance routines, but one thing I wasn’t confused about was the talent on stage. Every single performer brought their A game, and as well as entertaining us, they truly love to entertain each other, keeping a fresh and happy company giggling and alive all evening.
With a cheeky wink, nudge and giggle at some more adult based jokes, they are just enough to be noticed by the older audience and fly over the head of the younger. They include a few jibes at the commercial and cynical side of Christmas, and the pressure it puts on the grown ups. There was even a playful roast of Liverpool which went down very well with this Manchester audience. Elf The Musical is the perfect ‘Sparklejollytwinklejingley’ gift to yourself and others to kick of your 2024 Christmas! Embrace the magic, the joy, the candy canes and grab yourself some Christmas spirit. Don’t be a ‘cotton-headed ninny muggins’ and miss out else you might just find yourself on the naughty list!
WE SCORE ELF THE MUSICAL...
Elf The Musical is on at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until Sunday 17th November 2024.
